Just Joining: New to Reloading and Casting

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  • Last Post 05 January 2026
gallant55 posted this 03 January 2026

Greetings, 2nd Amendment Family,

I am a 70 year old reloading and bullet casting rookie. I am a member of the Single Action Shooter's Society (SASS) and in addition to cowboy style shooting, our club has side match categories known as Doughboy and Wild Bunch. Doughboy side matches use a 1911 and WWI period specific rifle.  For the rifle, I will be shooting a Springfield 1903 and Enfield 1917.  We are required to shoot lead nose bullets only.  I have some 30 caliber moulds and need to find appropriate 30 caliber lead bullets for casting.  I hope to obtain bullets that allow reduced loads.  

Could someone recommend the appropriate 30 caliber lead bullet(s) and where to obtain them?  Also, please recommend a powder for loading reduced load 30 06 ammo.

I respect and appreciate your wisdom and experience in this regard.

Best,

Danny Gallant

When I stepped away from the computer, realized I had mixed apples and oranges.  I do need a source to purchase lead bullets for the short term.  However, I also want to cast the appropriate bullets for the 30 06.  I currently have a 173 grain 311141 Lyman/Ideal mould, a Lyman/Ideal 210 Grain 311284 mould, and a Saeco Redding 175 grain 315 mold.  Which of these molds would be appropriate to case 30 06 and 308 bullets?

Thanks again,

Danny

 

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shootcast posted this 03 January 2026

Any you have now will work. Most are going to tell you to use the 311284. At 200 yards most like the heaviest they can find. Seems better in cross winds. Your rifle will tell you. Just got to try them all. 

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RicinYakima posted this 03 January 2026

Danny,

First question is how far is the farthest target for the rifle?

Second comment is you will not be shooting .308" bullets, but the size of the throat in front of the case.

Third comment is any one of those bullets will work just fine in an '03. 

Welcome, Ric

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Eutectic posted this 04 January 2026

The most important question is how far are you going to shoot. Most Cowboy matches are short range and large targets. Is this what is required? 

You have some excellent molds. Try them all. If the range is short you may be able to load low velocity and avoid the expense of gas checks. Shooting as cast can also work and save work.

Rim Rock Bullets will provide different diameters in 30 caliber and probably has what you need. https://rimrockbullets.net

Welcome Danny  

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Wilderness posted this 04 January 2026

Perhaps the Mods could join up the two halves of this same-post.

You are only as good as your library.

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tomme boy posted this 04 January 2026

 Where are you located? You might be near someone that could show you how to cast in person. Watching something on a computer is not the same as in person. That would be your fastest and greatest thing you could do to get up to speed on this. 

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gallant55 posted this 04 January 2026

I am sending a response and thanks to all who responded to my posts.  I'm still trying to determine how to respond to individual posts.

Thanks to Shootcast, Ricin Yakima, Eutectic, Wilderness, and Tomme Boy for your welcomes and responses.  Ricin Yakima and Eutectic,  I have only observed the SASS side matches for Doughboy and Wild Bunch.  With regard to the rifle shooting distance, I'm guessing the longest distance is about 75 years, with the bonus target(s) at around 100 to 125 yards.

The 03 and M17 in 30 06 will be my Doughboy guns.  Shootcast, thanks for confirming that the moulds I have at this point will be good for casting.

RicinYakima, perhaps you can answer the question I had regarding the 308.  I could certainly be wrong, but I'd understood that in SASS Wild Bunch side matches, if the rifle platform was appropriately period specific, ie., Savage 99s or Winchester 1895, the 308 would be allowed in the Savage 99, since the 308 cartridge exceeded 2 inches. Please let me know if my understanding is incorrect.

Tomme Boy, with regard to my location, I am in Houston County in East Texas, approximately 120 miles northeast of Houston. I would love to sit in on a casting session.

Thanks again to all of y'all for your responses and advice.  I greatly appreciate it.  I look forward to communicating with y'all again.

Best,

Danny

 

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RicinYakima posted this 04 January 2026

Sorry, Danny, but have not shot SASS in over 30 years, I'm a benchrest target shooter. 

Fit the bullet to the throat and you can hit a metal dinger at 125 yards with any of the bullets you listed. 

Good Luck and keep writing. 

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gallant55 posted this 04 January 2026

Thanks again, RicinYakima,

When you are in writing mode, I would love to get your thoughts and perspective about cast-related benchrest shooting.

Danny

 

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steveu posted this 04 January 2026

My buddy in Wyoming shoots the Lee C312-160 tumble lube bullet in his 06’s with 10.5 grains of Red Dot. I shot some that he sent me in my 308, same powder charge and it worked great at 100 yards. These were sized to .312”. For store bought bullets, bear creek supply may have what you need.

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gallant55 posted this 04 January 2026

Steve,

 

Thank you, that's very helpful information.  I'll check out Bear Creek Supply.

 

Best,

 

Danny

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Ed Harris posted this 04 January 2026

For short range rifle loads you can go cheap and cast any of those bullets soft from Wheelweights and plumber's lead 50-50, with a pinch of tin added if needed to get good fill-out. Bullets can be lightly tumble-lubed in Lee Liquid Alox diluted with equal parts by liquid volume of mineral spirits. Only a light coating is needed. No need to fill the lube grooves. Just enough to turn bullets a uniform brassy color. Try loading as-cast and unsized without gascheck. Subsonic loads up to about 1300 fps. Try 7-8 grains in .30-'06 of any fast burning pistol or shotgun powder you have handy. Bullseye, TiteGroup, Red Dot, Green Dot, 700X, WST, 452AA all work. No case filler is needed. Standard rifle primers.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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RicinYakima posted this 04 January 2026

Danny, Check your PM's. Ric

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gallant55 posted this 05 January 2026

Great, info, Ed, thanks.

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